Apparatus for testing the consistency of liquids.



C. F. STRASBURGER.

APPARATUSFOR TESTING- THE GONSISTBNGY 0F LIQUIDS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 1, 1910.

Patented Apr. 18, 1911.

CHARLES FaSTRASBURGER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

APPARATUS FOR TESTING THE CONSIS'TENCY 0F LIQUIDS.

Specification of Letters Patent. y

Patenten apr. is, ieu.

Application filed July 1, 1910. Serial No. 569,955.

To all 'whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. STRAS- BURGER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, re-

.siding at 616 West Kinzie Street.l Chicago,

v a self-contained apparatus, which shall involve a simple constructionand operate on 'the plunger principle to reliably measure tainedelements,

- by inspection cessive the. product will be render and indicate, ycomparison, the consistency of liquids, including semi-liquids such ascatsup and others of analogous density. v In he manufacture, forexample, of catsup, for testing which I have more especially devised myimprovement, the matter of obtaining requisite density or consistency ofthe product is the result of boiling for the proper time, which isliable tol be too short or too long, and is not reliably determinablewhile the material is in hot condition. If the boiling be too little,the product, u on cooling, 'will be unduly thin and accordi andconsumer, while if the boili be exunduly thick by cooling and fail todischarge prop` erly from the bottles in which it is used, which notonly vinjuriouslyljtfects the salability of the article but decreasesthe profit of manufacture by depriving it to an unnecessary extent ofthe cheapest of its connamely, water. By means of my improved apparatus,the consistency may be ascertained ata glance to determine whether morecooking 1s required or the product has been cooked to excess. In theaccompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a view of my improved device insectional elevation, the section being taken at the line l on Fig. 2,and Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are enlarged sections lines 2, 3 andvft of Fig. 1.

A reservoir 5 for thermatter to be tested is shown as a part of theapparatus,l though the actual testing means may be applied to nglyobjectionable `to the trade. end normally in -the pat freleasablyholding the plunger and rod in taken, respectively, on

any such holder, including the kettle in which such matter is prepared.The holder shown is adapted to receive a mere sample of said matter andis shown as a cylinder provided with a handle 6 by which to carry it andclosed at its ends. The removable top of the holder has sockets 7 risingfrom it, of which four are shown. Posts 8 are seated and fastened inthese sockets and extend into and are fastened in sockets 9 alining withthe sockets 7 and depending yfrom a head 10 having a central sleeve 11extending upwardly from it for guiding the rod 12. provided with a stop13, of a. plunger 14 in the holder and of 'the open constructionrepresented' 'or of any analogous suitable construct-ion. The rod 12.which Works through the head 10, carries, for the tripping purposehereinafter described, an abutment Whlch is practically a. partof therod but is shown as a sleeve 15 fastened, as by set-screws 16. to renderits position on the rod adjustable. A sprintf-,pressed lelver 17fulcrumed between its en s on a stud 18 depending from the head 10, ismaintained by its controlling sprin 19 with its inner of the Stop 13 forits uppermost elevated position read;r to descend on disengagingt-he'lever from the stop for the purpose hereinafter explained.

A wall 20 rises from the head 10 and has projecting .from it., atvright-angles to each other, arms 21 and 2Q between the outer ends ofwhich extends and has fastened at its end-portions to them, as by pins23. a segmental gage-plate 24`bearing-upon its display-surface anarbitrary indication of measurement. A wall 25. shown of generalZ-shape. rises from the head 10 in spaced and parallel relation to thewall Q0: and ona pin 26 supported in these two walls to eX- tend acrossthe space between them 1s Journaled the hub 27 of an index-finger 28,the

,forward end ofwhich is adapted to engage A`the lower pin 23 as a stopto arrest it agalnst movement beyond its normal horizontal position, andthe` opposite end of which forms a projection` 29 extending into thepath of the sleeve 15. A brake-shoe 30 is provided on a stem 31reciprocatingly supported on the upper horizontal end of the Z-shapedwall 25 to cause the shoe to bear, under the pressure of a spring 32,against the hub 27.

To apply the apparatus to its purpose, the reservoir is filled with apredetermined quantity of the matter to be tested, say catsup in the hotcondition in which it is taken from the kettle wherein it has beenboiled. Thereupon the lever -17 is turned to release the rod 12,permitting the plunger 14 vto descend in the reservoir with'a degree offorce according to the density of the contents, and in the descent thesleeve 15 encounters the finger-projection 29 with impact-forcesufficient to suddenly turn the index-finger upon its axis. The extremepoint on the gage with which the force of the impact causes the nger toregister, and at whichA the pressure of the brake will arrest it,denotes the density of the contents of the reservoir as compared with apredetermined point on the gage ascertained by using it on similarcontents of known consistency.

After making a test in the manner described, the ap aratus may berestored to its normal condition to prepare it for another test byraising the plunger into the position wherein the lever 17 will engageits rod to lhold it, and turning the index-finger back to the stop 23.

What I claim as my invention is:

. 1, In a. testing apparatus for the purpose set forth, the combinationwith a reservoir,

of a plunger, a. rod carrying the plunger,

rod-supporting means releasable to drop the plunger in the reservoir,tripping means on the rod. a gage supported adjacent to saidl rod and anindex-finger coperating with the gage and projecting into thepath ofsaid tripping-means for turning said finger under the impact-force ofsaid means in the descent of the plunger.

2. In a testing apparatus for the purpose set forth. the combinationwith a reservoir, of a plunger, a rod carrying the plunger.rod-supporting means releasable to drop the plunger in the reservoir. anabutment on the rod. a gage supported adjacent to said rod, and anindex-linger pivotally supported between its ends to coperate with thegage and having on its rear end a projection extending into the path ofthe abut-ment to be turned by its impact-force in the descent of theplunger.

3. In a testing apparatus for the purpose set forth, the combinationwith a reservoir, of a plunger, a rod carryin the plunger,rod-supporting means releasa le to drop the plunger in the reservoir, a'sleeve adjustably supported on the rod, a gage supported adjacent tosaid rod, and an index-finger pivotally supported between its ends tocoperate with the gage and projecting at its rear end into the path ofsaid sleeve to be turned by its impact-force in the descent of theplunger. j

4. A testing apparatus for the purpose set forth, comprising, incombination, a reservoir, a head supported in elevated position abovethe reservoir, a plunger-rod working, through said head, a plunger onsaid rod ii'i the reservoir, tripping means on said rod, rod-supportingmeans releasable to drop the plunger, a gage supported adjacent to saidrod, and an index-finger cooperating with the gage and projecting intothe path of said tripping-means for turning said nger under theimpact-force of the tripping means in the descentof the plunger. 5. Atesting apparatus for the purpose set forth, comprising, in combination,a reservoir having ja cover, a head supported iii elevated positionabove the cover', a plunger-rod provided with tripping means and workingthrough said head and cover, a plunger on said rod in the reservoir,means for releasably retaining the plunger-rod in elevated position, agage supported on said head, and a pivotal index-Enger cooperating withthe gage and projecting into the path of said tripping-means to beturned by the impact-force thereof in the descent of the plunger.

6. A testing apparatus for the purpose set forth, comprising, incombination, a reservoir havingA a cover,- a head supported in eleyatedposition above the cover, a plunger-rod provided with tripping-means anda stop and working through the head and cover, a plunger on the rod inthe reservoir, va spring-pressed lever normally engaging said stop toreleasably retain the rod in elevated` position, a gage supported onsaid head, and av pivotal index-finger cooperating with the gage andprojecting into the path of the tripping-means to be turned by theimpact-force thereof in the descent ofthe plunger.

7 A testing apparatus, forth, comprising, in combination, a reservoirhaving a cover, a head supported in elevated position above the cover, aplunger-rod provided with tripping-means and working throu h said headand cover, a plunger on said ro in the reservoir, a gage suprportedadjacent to said rod, and a springpressed pivotal index-fingercooperating with the gage and projecting into the path of saidtripping-means to be turned-by the impact-force thereof in the descent'of the plunger.

8. A testing apparatus, forth, comprising, in combination, a reservoirhaving a cover, posts rising from said cover, a head supported on theposts, a `plunger-rod provided with tripping-means and working throughthe head and cover, a

for the purpose set plunger on the rod in the reservoir, Walls on saidhead, arms extending from said walls, a gage supported I011 said arms',an index-finger journaled between said Walls and project-ing at one endinto the path of i the tripping-means to be turned by the impactthereofin the descent of the plunger,

and a spring-pressed brake supported on one of said walls inengagementwth the journal of said nger. v

CHARLES F. STRASBURGER. In the presence of- R. A. SC-IAEFER, R. A.RAYMOND.

